Structure for positioning electrode plates in a battery casing

ABSTRACT

An improved combining structure between the battery electrode plates and the battery casing, wherein it is mainly comprised of that the bottoms of the electrode plates are respectively series combined by the series combining straps made of electric conductive or non-conductive materials; and for the improved combining structure between the electrode plates and the battery casing, besides of that the bottoms of the electrode plates can be series combined by the series combining straps, the bottom of the battery casing can be provided with foot slots for inserting the plate connectors, or the inside bottom of the battery casing is installed with the support posts protruding upward to support the electrode plates, or the inside bottom of the battery casing is installed with the series combining straps with slots for inserting the electrode plates; thereby with this composition, not only the positioning effect of the electrode plates can be improved, when the series combining straps are made of electric conductive material, the uniformity of the electric conduction on the electrode plate is also improved, whereby the battery operating life is also extended.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates to a structure for mounting batteryelectrode plates in a battery case, and in particular to a structure formounting battery electrode plates in a battery case so as to prolong theoperating life of the battery.

[0003] 2.Description the Prior Art

[0004] In recent years, applications of batteries have become verypopular, especially after the development of motorcycles andautomobiles. The lead acid battery has become an indispensable componentof such vehicles. As shown in FIG. 1, the lead acid battery 10 is mainlycomprised of components including a case 11, a negative plate group 12,a positive plate group 13, separators 14, electrolyte 15, and a sealingcover 16. The inside of the battery case 11 can be divided into severalcell compartments 112 through partition plate 111, and each cellcompartment 112 is installed with negative plates 12 and positive plates13 which are made of lead (Pb) and lead bi-oxide (PbO₂) which arerespectively immersed in an electrolyte 15 made of a diluted sulfuricacid (H₂SO₄) solution. The negative plates 12 and the positive plates 13are separated by the separator 14 to avoid short-circuits due to mutualcontact. In addition, the plate connectors 121, 123 of the positive andnegative plates 12, 13 protrude upward, and the plate connectors 121 ofthe negative plates 12 are series combined with the negative terminalpost 122, while the plate connectors 131 of the positive plates 13 areseries combined with the positive terminal post 132. In addition, thenegative terminal posts 122 and the positive terminal posts 132 indifferent cell compartments 112 can be further respectively seriescombined by the cell connectors 17, to respectively provide the electricterminal posts at the top of sealing cover 16, including a negativeterminal post 123 and a positive terminal post 133. As long as thepositive electrode wire (not shown in the figure) is connected to thepositive terminal 133, and the negative electrode wire (not shown in thefigure) is connected to the negative terminal 123, the lead acid battery10 will provide an electric discharge function. The electriccharge/discharge reactions are as follows:

[0005] Although the lead acid battery 10 has adequate electriccharge/discharge functions, it is disadvantageous in that the batterycase 11 is subject to resonant vibrations during charging/dischargingoperations. Because the negative and positive plates 12, 13 in fact aresupported exclusively by the series combination of the negative terminalpost 122 and the positive terminal post 132 at the top of the casing,with no series combination positioning structure being provided at thebottom, the negative and positive plates 12, 13 are not positioned in astable manner. As a result, when a resonant vibration occurs, thenegative and positive plates 12, 13 are usually vibrated at the sametime, which causes the chemically-active materials to either drop off orto expand, thereby damaging the charging recoverability of the battery10 and shortening its operating life.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The objective of the invention is to provide an improved mountingstructure for mounting the battery electrode plates within the batterycasing, such that the bottoms of the negative and positive plates arerespectively series combined with electric conductive or non-conductivematerials; thereof the for the improved combining structure between thebattery electrode plates and the battery casing, beside that the bottomsof the electrode plates can be series combined with electric conductiveor non-conductive materials. To facilitate integration of the bottoms ofthe plates into the casing, foot slots may be provided at the bottom ofthe battery casing for insertion of the plate connector. Through theaforesaid structural design, better positioning results for electrodeplates can be obtained, and when the series combining straps are made ofelectric conductive material, the uniformity of electric conduction onthe plate can be improved, thereby lengthening the battery operatinglife.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a conventional lead acid battery.

[0008]FIG. 2 is a sectional schematic diagram of a first preferredembodiment of the invention, illustrating the combination between thebattery casing and a first kind of electrode plate.

[0009]FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the invention illustrating theaforesaid first kind of electrode plate.

[0010]FIG. 4 is a sectional schematic diagram of a variation of thefirst preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating thecombination between the battery casing and a second kind of electrodeplate.

[0011]FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the invention illustrating theaforesaid second kind of electrode plate.

[0012]FIG. 6 is a sectional schematic of a variation of the firstpreferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating the combinationbetween the battery casing and a third kind of electrode plate.

[0013]FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the invention illustrating theaforesaid third kind of electrode plate.

[0014]FIG. 8 is a sectional schematic diagram of a second preferredembodiment of the invention, illustrating a combination between thevariation of the first kind of battery casing and the first kind ofelectrode plate.

[0015]FIG. 9 is a sectional schematic diagram of a variation of thesecond preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating a combinationbetween the variation of the first kind of battery casing and the secondkind of electrode plate.

[0016]FIG. 10 is a sectional schematic diagram of a variation of thesecond preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating a combinationbetween the variation of the first kind of battery casing and the thirdkind of electrode plate.

[0017]FIG. 11 is a sectional schematic diagram of a variation of thesecond preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating a combinationbetween a first kind of battery casing foot slot and the electrodeplates.

[0018]FIG. 12 is a sectional schematic diagram of a variation of thesecond preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating a combinationbetween a second kind of battery casing and the first kind of electrodeplate.

[0019]FIG. 13 is a sectional schematic diagram of a variation of thesecond preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating a combinationbetween the second kind of battery casing and the second kind ofelectrode plate.

[0020]FIG. 14 is a sectional schematic diagram of a variation of thesecond preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating thecombination between the second kind of battery casing and the third kindof electrode plate.

[0021]FIG. 15 is a sectional schematic diagram of a variation of thesecond preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating thecombination between a fourth kind of battery casing and electrode plate.

[0022]FIG. 16 is a sectional schematic diagram of a variation of thesecond preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating thecombination between a fifth kind of battery casing and electrode plate.

[0023]FIG. 17 is a sectional schematic diagram of a variation of thesecond embodiment of the invention illustrating the combination betweena sixth kind of battery casing and electrode plate.

[0024]FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram of a variation of the secondpreferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating terminal connectionsof a single cell compartment.

[0025]FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram of a variation of the secondpreferred embodiment of the invention, illustrating multiple cellterminal connections.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] As shown in FIG. 2, the improved mounting structure of the firstpreferred embodiment of the invention is mainly comprised of a batterycasing 20, and electrode plates including at least two negative plates30, and at least one positive plate 40 (the illustrated embodimentincludes four negative plates and three positive plates). The negativeand positive plates 30, 40 are installed within the battery casing 20,which is of the same type as the conventional hollow rectangular casingopen at the top. The negative and positive plates 30, 40 are alternatelyarranged and are mutually separated by separators 100 to avoid shortcircuits due to mutual contact. As shown in FIG. 3, the bottoms of thenegative and positive plates 30,40 are respectively series combined by anegative electrode combining strap 31 and a positive electrode combiningstrap 41, made either of conductive material (such as lead, lead alloy,etc.) or non-conductive material (such as anti-corrosive plastics,etc.), arranged to positively position the bottoms of the negative andpositive plates 30, 40. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, two plate connectors301, 302, 401, 402 are respectively symmetrically formed at the twodiagonal corners of the negative and positive plates 30, 40, which causethe said negative and positive plates 30, 40 to appear to have a “”shaped structure. As a result, the negative and positive plates 30, 40can be welded through their bottom plate connectors 301, 401 torespective negative and positive electrode combining straps 31, 32,while the top plate connectors 302, 402 can be series connected to thenegative terminal post 32 and positive terminal post 42.

[0027] An alternative design of the negative and positive plates isshown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In this design, the negative and positive plates33, 43 also have bottom and top plate connectors 331, 332, 431, 432, butthe plate connectors are formed at the top and bottom ends of one sideof the negative and positive plates 33, 43, which cause said negativeand positive plates 33, 43 to appear to have a “T” shaped structure. Thebottom plate connectors 331, 431 are again respectively welded to thenegative and positive electrode combining straps 34, 44 made of electricconductive and non-conductive materials, while the top plate connectors332,432 are series connected to the negative terminal post 35 andpositive terminal post 45.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, in yet another kind of structuraldesign for the negative and positive plates 36, 46, each of the negativeand positive plates has only one plate connector 361, 461 respectively,and the plate connectors 361, 461 protrude upwardly. Consequently, theycan be series connected to the negative terminal post 37 and thepositive terminal post 47 and, further, the bottoms of the negative andpositive plates 36, 46 can be respectively welded with negative andpositive electrodes combining straps 38, 48 made of electric conductiveor non-conductive materials to improve the positioning of the plates.

[0029] It is worth mentioning that when the negative electrode combiningstraps 31, 34, 38 and the positive electrode combining straps 41, 44, 48are made of non-conductive material, the integrated positioning effectsof the negative and positive plates 30, 33, 36, 40, 43, 46 are improved,thereby avoiding generation of resonant vibrations during the electriccharging/discharging process which cause drop off or expanded growth ofthe chemically-active materials on the plates, resulting in prolongedbattery operating life. When the negative electrode combining straps 31,34, 38 and positive electrode combining straps 41, 44, 48 are made ofconductive material, in addition to providing better positioning of theaforesaid negative and positive plates, better uniformity of electricconduction on the aforesaid negative and positive plates is obtained,reducing the internal resistance of the aforesaid negative and positiveplates, and increasing the battery discharge capacity.

[0030] Regarding the series combination methods, the positive electrodecombining straps 41, 44, 48 are series combined at the bottoms of thepositive plates 40, 43, 46 while the bottoms of the negative plates 30,33, 36 are not series combined, or the negative and positive electrodecombining straps 31, 34, 38, 41, 44, 48 are respectively series combinedwith the bottoms of the negative and positive plates 30, 33, 36, 40, 43,46; or the negative electrode combining straps 31, 34, 38 are seriescombined at the bottoms of the negative plates 30, 33, 36 while thebottoms of the positive plates 40, 43, 46 are not series combined.

[0031] A second preferred embodiment of the invention having an improvedmounting structure between the electrode plates and the battery casingis illustrated in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10. In this embodiment, each bottom ofthe two sides of the battery casing 50 is installed with a foot slot 51,but the structural designs of the negative and positive plates 60, 70are the same as in the first preferred embodiment, i.e., the secondpreferred embodiment also includes three types of structural designs forthe negative and positive plates 60, 70, 61, 71, 62, 72, with thebottoms of the plates again being respectively series welded to thenegative electrodes combining strap 63 and the positive electrodescombining strap 73 made of electric conductive or non-conductivematerials. The bottom plate connectors 601, 611, 701, 711 of thenegative and positive plates 60, 61, 70, 71 and the negative andpositive electrode series combining straps 63, 73 are inserted in thefoot slots 51, so that the bottoms of the negative and positive plates60, 61, 70, 71 are combined with the battery casing 50 to improve thepositioning effect. For the negative and positive plates 62, 72 whichhave only single plate connectors 621, 721, the bottom negative andpositive electrode series combining straps 63, 73 can be inserted in thefoot slots 51, and as a result, the positioning effects of the negativeand positive plates 62, 72 can be improved.

[0032]FIG. 11 shows the optimum condition for the bottom plateconnectors 601, 611, 701, 711 of the negative and positive plates 60,61, 70, 71 inserted into the foot slots 51 of the battery casing 50(this figure only shows, by way of illustration, the case in which thebottom plate connector 701 of the positive plate 70 is inserted into thefoot slot 51). The foot slot height “A” is more than 7 mm, the weldingdepth B of the positive electrode combining strap 73 is 2-3 mm, when theinsertion is done, and the foot slot 51 is filled with epoxy resin oracid solution. The epoxy resin is filled in the space 511 between thefoot slot 51 and the plate connector 701 to avoid acid drop off from thepositive plate 70, and to eliminate the possibility of lack-acid on theplate, while the filled-up acid solution maintains the adequate “acidremains” between the battery casing 50 and the electrode plates so as toprovide a good charging recoverability and to prolong the batteryoperating life.

[0033] As is further shown in FIGS. 12, 13 and 14, the battery casing 52may be of another different structural design, in which the bottom ofthe battery casing 52 is installed with a protruding support post 521.Hence, when the negative and positive plates 60, 61, 62, 70, 71, 72 arerespectively installed into the battery casing 52, the support post 521can support the bottoms of the negative and positive plates to improvepositioning of the negative and positive plates, and lengthen thebattery operating life.

[0034] As is further shown in FIG. 15, which is a schematic diagram ofanother battery casing 53 and the negative and positive plates 64,74,the bottom of each cell compartment 531 of the battery casing 53 may beinstalled with negative and positive electrode combining straps 80, 81,and several “V” shaped slots 801, 811 provided on the straps forinsertion of the plate connectors 640, 740 at the bottom of the negativeand positive plates 64, 74. Further, the negative and positive plates64, 74 are separated by the separators 101, while the negative andpositive electrode combining straps 80, 81 are made of electricconductive or non-conductive materials, and can be independentlyinserted into the battery casing 53, or can be integrally manufactured,such as by plastic injection methods, with the battery casing 53. Inaddition, the negative and positive terminal posts 641, 741 on the topsof the negative and positive plates 64, 74 in different cellcompartments 531 are series combined with an electrically conductingfoil 90 for passing electric current.

[0035] As is further shown in FIG. 16, the series combining strap 81 isfirst installed at the bottom of the large cell compartment 541 inanother battery casing 54. The middle of the series combining strap 82is provided with an insert slot 821 for insertion of a separator 542,and the large cell compartment 541 is divided into two smaller cellcompartments 543. Furthermore, two sides of the middle insert slot 821of the series combining strap 82 are further installed with severalinsert slots 822, 823 for insertion of the bottom plate connectors 650,750 of the negative and positive plates 65, 75. The series combiningstrap 82 is made of conductive material and has the effect of seriescombining the negative and positive plates 65, 75. Of course, thenegative and positive terminal posts 651, 751 at the tops of thenegative and positive plates 65, 75 are also series combined by anelectric conducting foil 91.

[0036] Furthermore, as is shown in FIG. 17, to allow for electricconduction between the two independent separated negative and positiveseries combining straps 83, 84, the bottom of the battery casing 55 canbe installed with a slot 551 for introducing the electric conductingfoil 85, which connects the negative and positive series combiningstraps 83, 84. In addition, the series combining straps 83, 84 are alsorespectively installed with slots 831, 841 for insertion of the bottomplate connectors 660, 760 of the negative and positive plates 66, 76,and of course, the respective top plate connectors 661, 761 of thenegative and positive plates 66, 76 are also series combined using anelectric conducting foil 92.

[0037] Finally, it is further shown in FIG. 18 that, for a single cellbattery, the tops and bottoms of the negative and positive plates 60, 70of the battery casing 50 are extended to provide power output terminals110,120, and the extended terminals 110, 120 at the tops and bottoms ofthe electrode plates 60, 70 having the same polarity are all arranged inpositive to positive and negative to negative combinations to supplypower. For a multiple cell battery, the polarities of the negative andpositive plates 60, 70 between the cells are mutually series combined,and the top and bottom terminal posts of the said negative and positiveelectrode plates 60, 70 are all extended to provide a pair of positiveand negative power output terminals 1100, 1200. The two terminals 1100,1200 provide positive to positive and negative to negative combinationsto supply power simultaneously to reduce the internal resistance of theelectrode plates.

[0038] The achievable effects and advantages of the invention arefurther described as follows:

[0039] 1. Regarding the improved structures of the battery electrodeplates:

[0040] (i) In the invention, the bottoms of the negative and positiveplates 30, 33, 36, 40, 43, 46 are respectively series combined throughseries combining straps 31, 34, 38, 41, 44, 48 made of non-conductive orconductive materials, so that the bottoms of the aforesaid plates arepositively positioned, the more integrated positioning effect of theelectrode plates having the effect of avoiding resonant vibrations toreduce drop-offs of the chemically-active materials or expanded growth,resulting in greater battery efficiency and the advantage of prolongingthe battery operating life.

[0041] (ii) When the series combining straps 31, 34, 38, 41, 44, 48 aremade of electric conductive material, in addition to better electrodeplate positioning, the electric conduction uniformity of the electrodeplates is improved, and thus not only the internal resistance of theaforesaid electrode plates can be reduced, but the effect and advantageof increasing the battery discharge capacity also can be obtained. 2.Regarding the improved combining structure between the battery electrodeplates and the battery casing:

[0042] (i) In the invention, besides merely series combining the bottomsof the negative and positive plates through the series combining strapsto improve positioning, the bottom side of the battery casing 50 can bealso installed with foot slots 51 for inserting the plate connectors601, 611, 701, 711 of the negative and positive plates 60, 61, 70, 71and the series combining straps 63, 67, to further improve positioningof the bottoms of the negative and positive plates 60, 61, 62, 70, 71,72. Furthermore, the foot slots 51 can be filled in with epoxy resin oracid solution to retain adequate “acid remnants” in the battery casing50, thereby providing the effect and advantage of maintaining goodcharging recoverability of the battery.

[0043] (ii) In the invention, the bottom of the battery casing 52 canalso be installed with a protruding support post 521 to support theaforesaid negative and positive plates and thereby improve thepositioning effect of the aforesaid electrode plates and prolong theoperating life of the battery. 3. When the series combining straps 63,73 are made of electric conductive material, besides improving thepositioning effect of the negative and positive plates 60, 61, 62, 70,71, 72, the internal resistance of the aforesaid electrode plates can bealso reduced, and furthermore, the effect and advantage of increasingbattery discharging capacity are obtained. 4. In the invention, thebottoms of the battery casings 53, 54, 55 can be directly seriescombined with the series combining straps 80, 81, 82, 83, and insertingslots 801, 811, 822, 823, 833, 834 can be further installed on theseries combining straps for insertion of the negative and positiveplates 64, 74, 65, 75, 66, 76, thereby improving positioning of theaforesaid electrode plates, and providing the effect and advantage ofincreasing the battery operating life. 5. When the series combiningstraps 80, 81, 82, 83 are made of electric conductive material, besidesimproving positioning of the negative and positive plates 64, 74, 65,75, 66, 76, internal resistance of the aforesaid electrode plates isalso reduced, thereby obtaining the effect and advantage of increasingthe battery discharging capacity.

[0044] The above disclosed illustrations are only two examples of theinvention. Any equivalent modifications or changes that might occur tothose familiar with the art of the invention also are intended to beincluded within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An improved structures of the battery electrodeplates, wherein it is comprised of at least a positive plate, and atleast two negative plates to consitute the negative and positiveelectrode plate groups, whereof the bottoms of the said plates areseries combined by the series combining straps made of non-conductivematerial to provide bottom positioning of the said plates.
 2. Theimproved structure on the battery electrode plates as in claim 1,wherein the bottoms of the electrode plates are series combined by theseries combining straps made of electric conductive material, whereby toprovide bottom of plate positioning and to promote the uniformity of theelectric conduction on the electrode plates.
 3. The improved structureon the battery electrode plates as in claims 1 or 2, wherein it can beselected that the bottoms of the positive plates are series combinedwhile the bottoms of the negative plates are not series combined.
 4. Theimproved structure on the battery electrode plates as in claims 1 or 2,wherein it can be selected that the bottoms of the positive plates andthe bottoms of the negative plates are all series combined.
 5. Theimproved structure on the battery electrode plates as in claims 1 or 2,wherein it can be selected that the bottoms of the negative plates areseries combined while the bottoms of the positive plates are not seriescombined.
 6. An improve combining structure between a kind of batteryelectrode plates and the battery casing, wherein it is characterized in:the bottoms of the said negative and positive plates are positioned atthe bottom of the battery casting.
 7. The improved combining structurebetween the battery electrode plates and the battery casing as in claim6, wherein the bottom of the said negative and positive plates can beseries combined by the electric conductive or non-conductive materials.8. The improved combining structure between the battery electrode platesand one battery casing as in claim 6, wherein the bottom of the saidbattery casing is installed with at least one foot slot for insertion ofthe bottom plate connector of the electrode plate.
 9. The improvedcombining structure between the battery electrode plates and the batterycasing as in claim 6, wherein the bottom of the said battery casing isinstalled with a support post protruding upward to support the electrodeplate for positioning.
 10. The improved combining structure between thebattery electrode plates and the battery casing as in claim 6, whereinthe bottom of the said battery casing can be an integrated structure ofelectric conductive or non-conductive material.
 11. The improvedcombining structure between the battery electrode plates and the batterycasing as in claim 8, wherein the foot slots are filled in with epoxyresin or acid solution to fill the space between the slots and the plateconnector, whereby the filled-up epoxy resin can prevent acid drop-offfrom the electrode plate, while filled-up acid solution can maintain theadequate “acid remains” between the battery casing and the electrodeplate, thereby to have a better charging recoverability.
 12. Theimproved combining structure between the battery electrode plates andthe battery casing as in claims 1 or 6, wherein plate connectors can bein pairs to be formed at two diagonal corners of the electrode plate.13. The improved combining structure between the battery electrodeplates and the battery casing as in claims 1 or 6, wherein plateconnectors can be in pairs to be formed at the top and bottom of theelectrode plate at the same side.
 14. The improved combining structurebetween the battery electrode plates and the battery casing as in claims1 or 6, wherein the electrode plate can have only one plate connector.15. The improved combining structure between the battery electrodeplates and the battery casing as in claims 1 or 6, wherein for a singlecell compartment battery, the top and bottom of the said negative andpositive plates can be installed with extended power output terminals,and the top and bottom power output terminal of the electrode plates ofthe same polarities are in positive to positive, negative to negativecombination to supply power.
 16. The improved combining structurebetween the battery electrode plates and the battery casing as in claim6, wherein for the battery of multiple cell compartments, the negativeand positive polarities between the cell compartments are mutuallyseries combined, whereof the tops and bottoms of the said negative andpositive plates are all installed with extended a pair of positive andnegative power output terminals, while the pairs of power outputterminals are in positive to positive and negative to negativecombinations to supply power.